Partner and Friendship City Meeting in Vilnius May 2025

On 20–21 May, the KISMET partnership came together in Vilnius for two days packed with inspiration, laughter, hands-on learning and a whole lot of food talk. Hosted by the Lithuanian Innovation Centre, the two days marked another key moment in the KISMET project’s ongoing journey to make local food systems healthier, more resilient and more sustainable.

From the outset, the atmosphere was one of warmth and curiosity. The term “friendship cities” took on real meaning as partners reconnected and new relationships were formed over coffee, shared experiences and a common mission. This all the more because for the first time, representatives of eight so called friendship cities joined the KISMET partnership meeting and contributed to the valuable exchange.

Open Dialogue and Shared Experiences

The first day was dedicated to meaningful interaction. Partners from across the Baltic and Nordic regions shared local progress and ongoing challenges. Discussions touched on school food waste, sustainable procurement and improving cooperation between municipalities and food producers.

In place of formal presentations, a World Café-style format encouraged small group conversations that fostered honest dialogue and peer learning. A clear message emerged: while local realities differ, the desire to learn from one another remains a powerful unifier.

With eight new organisations joining the conversation, the discussions grew even more dynamic. Many common themes surfaced, like reducing food waste, supporting local food systems and promoting plant-rich diets, highlighting both the diversity of approaches and the shared commitment to more sustainable solutions.

From Ideas to Innovation: Visiting Leafood

Following an open exchange of challenges and lessons learned from each friendship city, participants embarked on a study visit to Leafood, a Lithuanian agri-tech startup revolutionising vertical farming in Europe. The visit showcased Leafood’s state-of-the-art facility, developed in collaboration with Taiwan’s YesHealth Group, which spans 13,000 square meters of vertical growing space within Vilnius city limits. The visit underscored the importance of innovation and cross-border cooperation in future-proofing urban food systems.

Of course, no KISMET meeting would be complete without a touch of local culture. From a guided walking tour through Vilnius’ charming old town to a spontaneous singing circle, the warm hospitality of our Lithuanian hosts added a special energy to the gathering. Moreover, the partnership learned about good cases for sustainable food environments in Lithuania. This included activities from the Vilkaviskis district, an overview of sustainable food systems by the Chairman of the Lithuanian Chamber of Agriculture, and projects such as SOULFOOD.

Looking Ahead: Visioning the KISMET Legacy

The Vilnius partner meeting reaffirmed the shared commitment among KISMET partners to reimagine how cities interact with food systems — from farm to fork to future. With an eye toward long-term impact and scalability, the partnership brainstormed and worked on strategic visions to continue and plant the seeds of change for more inclusive, sustainable and locally rooted food environments across the region.

A big thank you to all KISMET partners and friendship cities for your continued commitment and collaboration. And of course a heartfelt thank you to our wonderful hosts at the Lithuanian Innovation Centre.

Programme Manual Online

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